Gunman Nabbed by Cops Turns Out to Be Actor Shooting Crime Scene for TV Show
- Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:11pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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San Francisco police officers rushed to Alpha Market in the Cole Valley neighborhood Wednesday after receiving a 911 call about an armed robbery. When police arrived, they raised their weapons to a man in a ski mask brandishing a pistol, yelling “Drop the gun!” establishing a standoff just like a scene out of a tv show.
Turns out, it was a scene out of a tv show. Unfortunately, no one told the police.
Instead of dropping the gun, the masked man yelled back “It’s a movie!”, reports The San Francisco Chronicle:
“What happened next, according to Ade Saba, owner of the Alpha Market at 960 Cole St., is that the police ‘got really upset.’
‘They wanted him to drop the gun, but the guy didn‘t take it seriously because he knows it’s a plastic gun,’ Saba said.
The police report said ‘the gunman refused to put down his pistol, and the officers overpowered and disarmed him.’ He was not arrested.”
A Japanese film crew was in the area filming a comedic “stupid crime” scene for a new episode of “World’s Most Interesting Footage.” Things got serious fast, as police would tell the actor, David Lubin, he was lucky he hadn’t been killed.
The film crew had attained all the proper permits and did not need to inform the police about the bogus burglary because it was on private property. Police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza told the Chronicle that while the production crew was not at fault for not notifying the police, the unidentified 911-caller still “did the right thing.”
“Maybe the film crew could have notified the (police) station, even though they didn’t have to,” Esparza said. “There’s always someone watching in this city.”
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Comments (96)
jb.kibs
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 10:10pmHow can you say you disarmed someone who wasn’t armed in the first place?
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 10:25pmYou leave your “Plant” gun.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 11:24pmIt’s “police talk”… for we are never wrong!
Report Post »country_hick
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 3:06amYou can be charged with armed robbery in most states if you use a fake firearm that looks real and puts you in a reasonable fear for your safety. There are people shot every year who, wielding a real looking fake, point it at Police or a home owner.
What this nimrod should have done is drop the weapon when ordered to do so. He is lucky he wasn’t shot right then and there. Why do you think “toy guns” have to have an orange barrel on them now? This wouldn’t have been classified as a “toy” but a replica.
Until YOU have strapped on a firearm every day and just wanted to make it home to your family safely after your shift I would reserve comment upon the actions of the Officers (I have.).
Report Post »IndianaTroop
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 3:10amUntil this “gun” is looked at closer, it is treated as a firearm. Therefore the person is armed. Would you gamble your life on some of the firearms on the market that look like toys? A pink 9mm can be purchased at almost every gun store.
Report Post »davidstep
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 8:54amI wonder if there is going to be a “Most stupid film crew” show? Just asking.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 9:30amWhen I was a 911 dispatcher, we had repossession companies calling all the time to let us know they were going to repossess a car at such and such an address, in case someone called in a car being stolen, or there was trouble. I would think if someone was going to be a robber, that would be the first thing to yell as a distraction: It’s a movie! and then run away. Prop guns are supposed to look real. Why would we watch an action movie with a gun with an orange tip?
Report Post »FNTM
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:26pmWhen did people begin to disobey police officers? Perhaps about the time people got the impression that police officers were not allowed to shoot anyone?
Report Post »ghostsouls
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:45pmReally??? Do you know how many toy weapons LOOK like real weapons today? And if they were “filming” the gun was made to look realistic. Did you want the officers to wait until someone got shot to figure out whether it was real or not. So, now all someone has to do when caught in a robbery is say: “Hey, we are filming here” and everyone can turn around and go home. What if a good Samaritan, who has a carry/conceal permit happened upon the scene and shot him in the back, thinking he was saving someone? Yeah, it‘s the police’s fault, they were the ones to use poor judgement….. yeah right.
Report Post »Patriot Z
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 2:51pmthey didnt know that. how effective would the police be if all you have to do is say “im shooting a movie” while committin a crime. the cops were not informed and responding properly to what they thought was a robbery. the actor refused to put down his gun and still did not get shot but was disarmed. and for thoes asking how he can be ‘armed’ with a plastic gun. if someone uses a plastic gun to rob someone its still armed robery because the perception he is armed. if they choose to give the impression they are armed with a gun but choose not to use a real gun they are still armed. any questions
Report Post »WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges05
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 8:41pm“Gunman Nabbed by Cops Turns Out to Be Actor Shooting Crime Scene for TV Show”
Oh, that nothing.
Report Post »I know a anti-America half-black racist born in another country and without any means get America’s finest (and most expensive) education and become President of the United States without one Congressman or one Senator pushing for a vote for expulsion due to non-qualification.
Now THAT’S amazing.
NeoFan
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 10:27amIf they had guns and were naked and had been performing sex acts on each other in front of children then the SFPD would have ignored them.
Report Post »WaltzingMtilda
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 9:54pmSo, the police get a 911 call and respond to it, and they’re the idiots? You all who are saying ignorant things like that would probably be the first ones to complain if the police didn’t respond in a timely fashion.
The actor is indeed lucky he wasn’t shot.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 9:58pmC’mon, the is San Fran we are talking about, not the real America. They can complain about Cops all they want, laws don’t matter their, they are considered more of “Suggestions” than laws.
Report Post »txn4justice
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 10:08pmTypical SF gay rebellion league crap! California has fallen into the toliet with Ms Pelosi and is soon to feel the flush.
Report Post »Giveitrevolution
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 9:06pmhttp://www.infowars.com/
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:53pmTony Bennett singing:
Report Post »I left my brain’s in San Francisco, when a cop told me to drop it.
I told him I had my rights, and he then broke my left eye socket.
wildbill_b
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:48pmPrivate property……The Police were guilty of criminal trespass and lacked jurisdiction
Right to bear arms……All police with 2 functioning brain cells should expect ALL people to be armed as is our right
Police are not lawful. They are Corporation security, I.E. CITY OF DALLAS POLICE, and not the Constitutional “Sheriff”. They utterly lack jurisdiction over the people. They are subject to self defense response from myself and every other American Citizen. US citizens however lack such rights. who knows the difference. Congress does.
Police SELDOM prevent crimes. They nearly ALWAYS arrive after the fact and operate in a investigatory manner. They SELDOM protect. They SELDOM serve. There is no rational nor logical need for the Police. You enter my house, bring your own body bag.
Shame that so many are so scared of their own shadow that they cry for someone else to save them.
Report Post »IndianaTroop
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 2:56amA call was made, so they had a right to be there. I love the second amendment, and I personally wish more would exercise it. Self defence, I’m all for a person not becoming a victim. The Police show up after the fact in an investigative manner? When I get called to a homicide, I am there to investigate, so yes, you are correct. Some of your comments lead me to believe your into the sovern citizen movement. We all know the decisions made by soverns, look it up on YouTube. Very radical in their views and dangerous.
Report Post »zman173rd
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:35pmAs much as i dislike and distrust the police (THE POLICE ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS) in this particular instance they are right. Drop the freekin gun you moron!.
Report Post »As for IndianaTrooper comment “Some of your comments lead me to believe your into the sovern citizen movement. We all know the decisions made by soverns, look it up on YouTube. Very radical in their views and dangerous.” This is how they watch us. Anyone not towing the line and stayin in line is on their list. Tea Party and Veternas alike, say or do anything that gets their ire and you’re on their list forever. When they start pusing they will be comming to your house for your guns, just like they did during Katrina. “Marry” made such a comment and you guns owners shrugged it off and made jokes about it. Hide and watch, folks.
ghostsouls
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:46pmDon’t you have some communist OWS encampment to go to?
Report Post »IndianaTroop
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 7:57pm@Zman, I don’t understand the “us vs them” mentality. Why would I Target veterans and tea party members. I just may be a member of both. Take your guns? I think not. Last time I checked the military and law enforcement are given oaths to defend such happenings. Maybe things are different where you live Zman, and if so I would move. Law enforcement in the hoosier state has a lot of support, other than by the obvious. I don’t have a “list”, but I have dealt with a few soverigns who don’t believe in most laws. There has to be rules, if you disagree, there are plenty other places to live without them.
Report Post »grayling646
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:22pmJust a bit of advice to anyone as stupid as this guy:
Report Post »If a cop tells you to drop the gun, drop the gun.
if a cop tells you to stand on your head, stand on your head.
if a cop tells you to bark like a dog, bark like a dog.
Now, if you‘re sitting beside a cop at a lunch counter having a cup of coffee and he tells you these things maybe you can laugh it off but if he’s pointing a gun at you and telling you to DROP THE GUN!!!, THEN YOU DROP THE FREAKING GUN!!!
ramburner
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:30pmHey; this is San Francisco what is the problem here? Yes, if a cop was point a gun at me, and he told me to drop the gun, even if I was only eating a hot dog, I would drop it! I don’t normally wear my flack jacket, so those pesky lead things could sting if I were hit! Stupid film makers!
Report Post »ramburner
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:32pmNice save by the police! We don’t want any actors pretending to be robbers in our neighborhood!
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 10:42pmIf the cop has me right, and I am in the wrong, I would comply.
Report Post »If a cop told me to stand on my head I have to tell him to kiss my ass.
Once you compremise your honor, you are lost.
grayling646
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 11:25pmActually, I don‘t think I’d bark like a dog either.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 9:34amI had a policeman friend who had a shirt that read: Please, take off all your clothes, lie on the floor and do whatever the nice policeman tells you to do.”
That said, if you are not a criminal, and not in imminent danger, and a cop pointing a gun at you tells you to drop it, you drop it. You can discuss your rights later. He has to protect himself from the bad guys, even if you’re not one.
Report Post »Southernsoul
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:21pmSorry, I don’t buy it. The lights, the cameras, and the 10,000 union required useless idiots weren’t a clue? You’d have to an OWS type to be that dumb.
Report Post »ghostsouls
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:49pmI have seen tv shows that were filming and catch a violent act on video, unintended, but still the same they catch it, so just because there is video equipment there doesn’t mean squat.
Report Post »Carter John
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 1:37pmIt was a Japanese film crew, no unions needed. for all we know there could have been only cameras mounted in the corners like most shops already have.
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:14pmThat actor is lucky they did not kill him.
Report Post »Atrocities
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:54pmHad this actor not dropped his toy gun in Portland OR, the PPD would have just shot him something like 32 times, reloaded and shot him another 32 times, hitting him once, maybe, but defiantly killing him… eventually, as he commits suicide while unconscious in ICU. Then they’d have lied to the grand jury and been given a pass… again.
Report Post »Atrocities
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:52pmActors is lucky, had he not dropped his toy gun in Portland, OR, he’d have been shot something like 200 times. No bull, you don’t F–K with the PPD.
Report Post »Jayms
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:49pmThat actor is lucky – I would have dropped that gun so fast…
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:34pmNo excuse. I thought there was a handgun ban in CA and SF.
it is therefore not possible for there to have been an armed robbery in process while they were on duty in SF.
Simply not possible.
The Police have no excuse for this over reactive behavior.
Report Post »Carter John
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 1:39pmTell that to the people to have been held at gun point and robbed in the states that have a gun ban. If your going to break the law your not going to respect a gun ban.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:30pmBook em danno…prob a liberal show.
Report Post »snufy
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:20pmOk, imagine that you’re an officer on patrol. You get this call; “Cruiser 102, armed robbery in progress, location—-, respond code 3.” You arrive and see a person wearing a mask and holding a gun. Your job is to secure the scene. You look around to see if he has an armed accomplice, and order him to drop the weapon. Yes, there are cameras around, but maybe they were for this staged event and maybe they weren’t. You were told this was a robbery in progress, so that’s what you have to go on. If they’re wrong, you could be shot. You people who criticize the police really should think things through before opening your mouths and sounding stupid. Most departments have a ride along policy, so you should take a ride with an officer one time to see what their lives are really like.
Report Post »Just_One
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:31pmSo you got a guy with a plastic gun standing in front of a camera telling the cops this is a movie and the cop doesn’t believe him why?
Report Post »Carter John
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 1:42pmJust_One
Report Post »If your shooting a film you use a realistic gun. It is a first degree FELONY to take the orange tip off a toy gun because that is the only way the police or another person can tell it’s a toy. Not a real handgun that can kill, the police have to assume that if there is no orange tip it is a real gun.
brainsaw
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:20pmI don’t fault the cops at all. Imagine the wailing and howls that many people would have emitted had the cops shown up, saw the cameras and crew and ambled over to the craft table for a donut and ask if it was a tv show instead of reacting professionally to a call and spotting a gunman?
And no, I’m not a cop. But I have a lot of respect for those who risk their lives to patrol the streets that our collectively whiney, sniveling, lazy and self absorbed butts infest in America these days.
Report Post »Anarcho Capitalist
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:33pmYou are such a sap
Report Post »TEXASGRANNY73
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 12:43amNo you are not a sap.
Report Post »LeadNotFollow
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:16pmThe 9-1-1 caller did the right thing. This could have been a real situation.
Report Post »campt1
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 6:52pmThe TSA needs to be eliminated and replaced with a private industry picked by each airline company. This would save the taxpayers millions of dollars and heart aches.
Report Post »Tex Expatriate
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 6:41pmNot everyone on The Blaze will share my view, but here is what I have learned over my 74 1/2 years of life. Nearly every cop is a bully and thug, nearly every lawyer is crooked, and nearly every judge is more crooked than the lawyers who present before him. These two dumboes missed the cameras, the whole amalgam that goes with t.v. and movie shooting, and rush in and try to arrest a “shooter?” B.S. They were making a name for themselves. If you can find a good cop, he is a rare as a walnut that fell last year and is still good.
Report Post »capitalideals
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 6:47pmYou are right. I totally disagree with you.
Report Post »BulldogO6
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:17pm“…learned over my 74 1/2 years of life.”
Clearly your education leaves much to be desired; or you are a career criminal that brings out the worst in every cop you encounter. You have much to learn even if you are an old dog. Better get started.
Report Post »Freedomtothink
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:27pmI’m not sure about all of them being bullies but most of them are useless. When people really need help the police are never around because they’re busy apprehending people with toy guns, routinely harassing people who have a hairline crack in their windshield, pulling people over for having a 99 cent air freshener hanging from a rear view mirror, etc. Seriously, I’ve never seen a cop do anything really useful or worthwhile in my life.
Report Post »UrbanCombatSurvivor
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 7:38pmFirst: Your language and slang seem to contradict your proclaimed age.
Second: Your response to this article is knee-jerk and reactivistic, also contradicting your proclaimed as. Your comment was used as an opportunity to attack all police and lawyers, rather than thoughtfully considering and posting something more directly relevant to the article at hand. This seems the reaction of a much younger person than 74 years old.
Finally: I agree that most cops are corrupt, and that the entire legal system is just as corrupt. I simply don’t feel the need to lie about myself in an attempt to add more weight to my opinion. I will gladly discuss it based on logic, statistics, anecdotal evidence and reality.
Most of us simply dismiss someone who uses lies to try making their argument seem more plausible. It‘s a shame that you’ve taken a good stance, but lack the intellectual honesty and moral integrity to support your opinions with facts, rather than invented life experience.
As an aside: I believe whole heartedly that any of us can make a mistake, and leave the possibility that you are indeed the age you claim, and just happen to be much more reactive than my personal experience supports for a man of that age. If that is the case, and I am wrong, I apologize. But I doubt I am wrong.
Report Post »Bluedog78
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:46pmHey guys, I‘m a cop and since you all know so much about how corrupt all cops are I was hoping you could let me know how I can get in on some of the action because in 6 years I’ve never been offered a bribe. I drive a 16 year old Cherokee and have a wife and four little kids to take care of and it would be nice to have some more $$ in the bank if you know what I mean!! Keep me posted!! ;-)
Report Post »qzak491
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 9:08pmI know where you are coming from. I had a cop tell me they can do what they want, I couldn’t. Is this the kind of “law abiding” cops we want? I don’t care what Beck says cops are NOT good, they are corrupt because they think they can get away with it and usually do because the law will believe them before they will beieve me. It’s the good buddy system, they stick up for themselves.
Report Post »zman173rd
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 1:37pmYou are right. I AGREE WITH YOU
Report Post »Glenn in Virginia
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 6:39pmIt’s San Francisco. Anything can happen.
Seriously, though, when real cops point real guns at you and tell you to drop WHATEVER it is you’re holding, it would be a good idea to do that very thing.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 6:21pmLucky & stupid actor @ the same time & from now on police should be notified even if it’s on private property , the 911 caller didn’t know that & so the cops .
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 6:04pmGuess they did not notice the camera and 20 person camera crew standing around for no reason.
Report Post »recoveringneocon
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 6:29pmMaybe Police just thought media beat them to the scene.
Report Post »shagstar
Posted on December 4, 2011 at 10:41ami guess the entire camera and lighting crew were disguized as cheerio’s!
Report Post »Spyder
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:42pmThen what is the point of getting a permit if stupid crap like this is still going to happen?
It’s similar to the recent story of the fisherman who caught the huge $400,000 tuna, but then had it confiscated by the Feds even though he had a permit to catch them. He has since dropped the permit because it means nothing.
Yes, the actor was an idiot for not dropping the gun, but the cops are idiots for not recognizing the film crew and having the common sense to read the situation. Herp derp de derp…
Reminds of the film ‘Lethal Weapon 2’…
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:19pmGee .. I think if I was holding a plastic gun and cops with a real ones said to drop it .. I would drop it .. another idiotic actor!
Obviously when he said “It’s a movie” he knew they were real cops….
Kudos to the police for not shooting the fool!
Report Post »cyclops
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:22pmLMAO!!!!!!…………Thank goodness he did not get shot……..Can they integrate the actual Police response into the movie somehow?…………………Hahahahahahaha….
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:36pmSounds almost like a scene from a Mel Gibson movie. What gets me is that the film crew has to have a myriad of permits and the police department should have been notified. This could lead to a law suit.
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:47pmCatB
I’m with you….. That was foolish…..Glad they didn’t shoot him….But really if you think
about it,,,, shouldn’t somebody THAT DUMB to hold the PLASTIC weapon when
real cops say to drop it,,,,,,,maybe it would not be a bad thing to get him out of
the gene pool…..lol
I can’t believe that they do not have to NOTIFY the Police in the area if they are going
Report Post »to be EVEN PRETENDING THEY ARE COMMITTING A CRIME AND THERE ARE
GUNSHOTS…… it only sounds reasonable to me……..
Skippy Toes
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:18pmSigh…..
Report Post »JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:17pmThis is why a permit is required. This moron is lucky he is alive. This actor is one stupid s.o.b.!!!
Report Post »Mapache
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:35pmWould you think that if a permit is applied for to shoot a scene AND GRANTED like that at a certain time and place, it would be the permit issuing authority’s responsibility to notify the local precinct?
Report Post »JustMeHere_01
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 8:58pm@Mapache
I really wanted to argue with you for some reason but you really make a valid point. You would think that the department that issues the permit has procedures in place to notify the people the appropriate agencies that need to be notified.
That being said, this actor is very fortunate not to have been shot. If told by a police officer that is holding a real gun to drop your weapon then the best course of action is to drop the weapon. You can always talk later about what is going on.
I have no idea what the scene looked like to the officers that arrived there. All I know is that their dispatcher gave them a call about a robbery taking place and the people had weapons. I think responding to such a call would get a persons adrenalin pumped up and would be just a little bit hyper when he got to the scene.
Just drop the weapon when ordered to do so and then the situation can be resolved peacefully and they can go back to their film making without incident.
Report Post »